PATIENTS abused in hospitals by Jimmy Savile got less in compensation than the NHS paid out in legal fees.

The 52 victims of the pervert DJ received £500,000 in total — an average of just £9,615 each. But the NHS paid £600,000 in legal costs, including £110,000 on defending claims.

The figures, revealed to The Sun on Sunday in a Freedom of Information request, shows for the first time how meagre the full compensation package was.

Peter Saunders, founder of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, described the payouts as “derisory”.

He said: “The amount is pathetic, especially when you consider the NHS has spent more on lawyers.

“Why couldn’t the NHS have avoided hundreds of thousands in legal costs by taking statements with the help of psychologists and agreeing reasonable payouts?

“The figures victims have received are derisory because it would cost a lot more to pay for the professional therapy they may need which is often not available on the NHS.”

Many of the victims got compensation lower than £9,000 as three of those abused by Savile were awarded £40,000 each.